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Parikşāmukham
An objection is raised by the commentator Prabhāchandra “Does the author Māņikyanandi wish to define Pramāṇa and Pramāņābhāsa according to the previous authors on the subject or according to his own inclination ? If the former, there is no reason for his undertaking this labour, for a thing which has already been reduced to powder, should not be powdered again. If the latter, there is no necessity to take all this trouble, for scholars would not consider with regard any compilation produced according to one's own inclination ( as opposed to the works of old writers ).” The commentator replies to this objection by saying that (i) by the use of the word "Siddham”, it is meant that the author will follow the definitions as laid down by venerable writers of old and (ii) by the use of the word “Alpam” it is meant that the method of treatment will be different viz. that the author will treat the subject in a concise manner leaving aside the detailed exposition of writers like Akalanka. That is to say, though the writer will follow the definitions of the older writers, the method of treatment being new ( as it will be brief as distinguished from the detailed statement of older writers) there cannot be any apprehension that the work will be a use-less repetition. Those who do not want a very lengthy and detailed treatment of a subject would be satisfied with a short exposition. The author whose mind is always prone to doing good to others cannot be said to have any intention of cheating the disciples by promulgating definitions opposed to older writers and invented by himself."
1 "ननु चेदं वक्ष्यमाणं प्रमाणलक्षणं पूर्वशास्त्राप्रसिद्धं तद्विपरीतं वा, यदि पूर्वशास्त्राप्रसिद्धं, तर्हि तव्युत्पादनप्रयासो नारम्भणीयः, स्वरुचिविरचितत्वेन सतामनादरणीयत्वात् । तत्प्रसिद्धं तु नितरामतन्न व्युत्पादनीयं, पिष्टपेषणप्रसंगादू इत्याहः 'सिद्धमल्पम् । प्रथमविशेषणेन व्युत्पादनवत् तल्लक्षणप्रणयने स्वातन्त्र्यं परिहृतम् । तदेवाकलंकमिदं पूर्वशास्त्रपरम्पराप्रमाणप्रसिद्धं लघूपायेन प्रतिपाद्य प्रज्ञापरिपाकार्थ व्युत्पद्यते, न स्वरुचिविरचितं ; नापि प्रमाणानुपपन्नं, परोपकारनियतचेतसो ग्रन्थकृतो विनेयसंवादने प्रयोजनाभावात् । तथाभूतं हि वदन् विसंवादकः स्यात् । 'अल्प' मिति विशेषणेन यदन्यत्राकलंकदेवैविस्तरेणोक्तं प्रमाणेतरलक्षणं, तदेवात्र संक्षेपेण विनेयव्युत्पादनार्थ अभिधीयते इति पुनरुक्तत्वनिरासः ।"
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